Instead, he returned to Stillwater - making the Cowboys a top 25 team with Big 12 title and deep NCAA tournament run aspirations.

With Smart getting a taste of playing against NBA-level talent as one of only two collegians in the USA Basketball minicamp, he noted that his upcoming sophomore campaign with Oklahoma State will be his last college basketball season, as many would have guessed.

"It's safe to say that if, by the grace of God, I'm healthy and everything, this will be my last year at Oklahoma State," Smart said Tuesday in Las Vegas to Yahoo! Sports. "Nothing will change my mind on that."

The 19-year-old Smart averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists while leading the Cowboys to a 24-9 record, including a 13-5 finish in the Big 12. Oklahoma State was upset by 12th-seeded Oregon in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Smart, who piloted Team USA to a FIBA U-19 title at the World Championships as the starting point guard, said there won't be any hard feelings.

"(Oklahoma State) understands," he said. "They didn't figure I was coming back this year. They were just as surprised as everyone else."

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Scott Gleeson, a national college basketball writer/producer for USA TODAY Sports, is on Twitter@ScottMGleeson.